BEARS SEEKING ASYLUM
The news has broken that the Chicago Bears are leaving the city of Chicago and the state of IL. Unanimous vote by their board to pursue the Hammond Indiana location as their next home. Everyone and their mother have given the details which simply put break down as such. There is the “why should we give a billionaire Corp money for a stadium”.
The majority position of not giving away taxpayer money to companies is not the wrong approach as corporations are businesses who make financial decisions solely based on the bottom lines. The other position is “The market around the country has private and public partnerships to build venues that the team will play in and the city will utilize for other sporting events”.
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Those other events are final fours which brought an estimated 400 million to the Indianapolis area in 2026 NCAA estimates $400 million Indy economic impact from Final Four . Time magazine estimated that the Superbowl brings in roughly 300-600 million dollars to the host city and surrounding areas
THE BLAME GAME
Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The state of IL is pushing the focus of the blame on the Bears saying they came unprepared to meetings, didn’t have their plans in place and not showing up for the final vote to lobby for their cause. The Mayor of Arlington Heights seemed to do a 180 flip on his position of being a Bears partner in the infrastructure portion of the build out. The Bear's position is they are willing to build it if they can get their tax obligation structured out so they know how to manage their finances. They are also asking for infrastructure to meet the demand they anticipate when the space is open for business.
FINANCIAL PICTURE
The Indiana chronicle reported in December of 2025 that their state has a $676 Million surplus with a larger forecast of surplus for the 2026 end of year New forecast shows big growth in Indiana surplus • Indiana Capital Chronicle. Capitol news is reporting that the State of IL budget deficit to expand to $2.2 Billion dollars after the 2026 budget is enacted capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-budget-on-track-for-deficit-as-new-federal-policies-create-challenges/
REALITY OF THE SITUATION
Simple truth is the legislature could not afford to keep the pride and joy of Illinois in state any longer due to poor spending habits that can be traced back to the late 1990s. Our spending on welfare alone over the last 10 years is 5x the budget deficit. Indiana has way less people but are managing their operating budget to a point where they can afford to spend infrastructure money WHILE partnering with the Bears on the stadium endeavor. The good news is that Hammond, Gary or Whiting will have a hard time housing the new stadium events and with downtown Chicago being one skyway away, should add a boost to future final fours and Superbowl type events. I don’t see why the outrage on the Bears moving a little southeast to upgrade their digs.
MOST IMPORTANTLY TO SPRINGFIELD
The political fallout is unknown at this time. Progressives believe their base will respond well seeing how they stuck to their values of not giving out corporate welfare as they give out social welfare to secure their votes. Moderates or Union democrats can’t be happy that a major structure project is leaving a strong union state for a right to work state. Those jobs could have pulled that taxpayer money back into the neighborhoods to be trickled down to small businesses in the community. The dysfunctional GOP had a split opinion on this touting not to supporting the billionaire class but can’t find common ground with union democrats for this project based the jobs and revenues alone. I felt the GOP should have voted present until a clear path was revealed. It seems clear now that the GOP should work with moderate democrats to keep the bears for a political win exposing this fugazi rule that democrats have on to decide if bills should come to the floor.
When you lay it all on the table you can’t blame the Bears for seeking a new site that still gives the city of Chicago a role in the economic trickledown effect. I don’t know if the people here will ultimately care if the Bears are in IL as long as their gas prices drop, grocery prices are reduced and their housing issues are solved which at the current pace seems like will never happen in their lifetime.
